Enter The X-Trio!
by Chris-San
Summary: 3 new characters arrive and break into the mansion...
1. Default Chapter

There was no one home

The X-Trio's Arrival @ The mansion.

By: Chris-san, Anne.

Rating: PG 13 

Notes: This story was written some time after the release of the X-men Movie, when my 3 friends and I decided to enter the marvel Universe by creating characters of our own. We later christened ourselves the X-trio, and established our own enemy/ monsters, problems etc. Unfortunately, very few of these tales ever made it to type. 

To get you started, here's just a background of the three members of the X-trio.

Suzie: Has the healing powers and heightened senses of wolverine, and the adamantium skeleton to match. She was kidnapped at the age of eight and taken to the same military establishment that wolverine remembers. They thought it was destroyed but apparently they just changed addresses. She escaped at the age of 13, completely *ucked up, but managed to make it to the village where she met Tash and Christine. The main enemy of the X-trio is this military establishment, which wants to re-capture Suzie and Wolvie, as well as any strong mutant they might be able to manipulate into an ultimate weapon. Now 15, her and her two partners in crime run randomly around the country being chased by the Private Militia. Suzie also has the ability to control electricity, including neuro-electric brainwaves, which comes in handy quite often. She's 5' 10"and has long strait black hair.

Tash: Born and raised in a small town, her intelligence, open mind, and racial background has always left her at odds with the small minded folk of her village. Then, when word leaked out about her mutant abilities, she was driven out of town, and left, hitch hiking along an abandoned stretch of highway. This is where she first met Suzie. Tash's character is intelligent and usually gentle. She's a math wiz, English guru, and loves music so much she never leaves home without her piccolo. She has the ability to shape shift into any feline species, however which "cat" she will become, and how long she will stay that way is always a mystery. Tash also possesses cat senses, including heightened hearing and smell. She's 17, 5' 4", of both Jamaican and German blood, and usually wears her long, black, naturally spiral curled hair in a braid down to her butt. 

Chris (Christine): The last member to join the group, she also possesses the most unstable powers. She is immune to all lazer, electrical, or stun gun blasts, as her body has the ability to absorb most forms of tangible energy. However, once these energies have stored up long enough in her body, an over load occurs. The last such instance of an overload flattened 10 square blocks of her neighbourhood in five seconds, and left 42 of her neighbours and all of her immediate family dead. This was Chris's first clue that she might be a mutant, and so she joined up with Suzie and Tash. Although she has no combat training, and no "useful" powers, she has become quite skillful with lazer guns, and contributes to battles as best as she can. She is also a form of secret weapon used to blow things sky high if the need arises. Chris is 16, has short light brown hair, and is 5' 7" in height. 

Link: Through Suzie's electrical ability, the three girls are able to form a type of mental link, which enables them to discuss things undetected by either ears or normal psychics. This link also has several other bonuses, and comes in handy quite frequently. 

There was no one home. We'd been ringing the bell at the front gate for the last 15 minutes and still there was no hint of an answer, just our luck.

We'd left New York that afternoon, and had driven an hour and a half into the country to reach our goal. Then, when an evil tree had jumped into the middle of the road and totalled our car, (Suzie's version, she was driving) we'd had to walk the rest of the way. When we finally reached our destination it was an hour after sunset, unseasonably cold, and threatening rain. The security system was armed.

I suddenly began to miss our five star hotel room in New York. It was big, clean, warm, luxurious, and oh yeah, paid for with stolen money. However, for some reason I felt a lot less guilty about that here, in the middle of nowhere, than I did when we left. It wasn't even my stolen money, really. Suzie was the one who used her powers to make the ATM machine cough up money. I just mooched off her. Tash, being Tash of course, hadn't liked the idea of stealing from the very start, and I didn't like the extra workout it gave my conscience. That's how we ended up here.

We had heard that there was this weird rich guy out in the country who ran a school for mutants out of his mansion. Perks included free meals, free board within the mansion, and training that was supposed to help you learn to control your powers. It sounded a bit too good to be true to Suzie and I, however in the end we agreed to go and check it out, if only for the sake of pleasing Tash, and shutting her up. If we stayed, the only real difference would be that now I was mooching off of a complete stranger instead of my best friend.

Ok, I'll admit, attending a school did sound like a good idea. Tash and I hadn't seen the inside of a class room in over six months, and if you discounted the military training Suzie had received almost three years ago now, like security systems penetration, software hacking, hand to hand combat, and oh yeah, deadly weapons use, (Sheesh! What were those military goons thinking?) Suzie had never been to a school. Her parents had hired a tutor for her in her earlier days. 

So we all needed an education. I wasn't really planning on mooching off of people for the rest of my life, even if that's what most artists did before they became famous (and until they committed suicide.) Tash, a practical genius in math and music, had her self-confidence destroyed when she'd been driven out of her small town home by small-minded mutant haters. She had recovered somewhat now, but I knew an impressed teacher, and a 90% grade average would help tremendously. As for Suzie, she was way too spoiled and used to getting everything she wanted easily. She was also prone to insane mood swings, and either scaring everyone she met, or treating them like dirt. (Ok, Ok, she never treated Tash and I like dirt, and she usually didn't scare us, usually.) I reasoned that a daily school routine, a strict teacher who didn't give grades easily, and a little peer pressure would at least mould her mind into some kind of shape. Anything was better than the volatile liquid that ruled that space now. But then this was Suzie, so I wasn't going to get my hopes up. 

Actually my hopes were quite down now. I was cold, tired, hungry, and a loooong way away from any pay phone, ATM machine, or car rental place there was. I dropped my luggage and stared through the gate at our goal. So close, so close..."Crap!"

Tash stared in disbelief, as close to tears as I had ever seen her, Suzie said nothing, having used up every possible swearword there was when the car had burst into flames. I sighed. 

"What do we do now?" I stared blankly at my friends. If anyone suggested walking back to New York, I would shoot somebody, either them, or myself.

"I think we should just go back to NCY." Suzie smiled at me.

"Shut up psychic," I said glumly, "there's no way in hell."

"Been there," she said like the smart-ass she was, "it's a fun club, with dancing, and beer...I want beer..."

Such is the logic of Suzie. She had been dead set against this whole idea from the beginning, preferring room service to charity any day, and was now rubbing it in our faces in her own psychotic way. I looked to Tash, who was furiously trying to figure out an answer to this problem. Unfortunately the best she could offer was,

"Maybe they just stepped out for a minute. If we wait here then..."

"Not likely," I interrupted. "They're rich. They could be in Hawaii for all we know."

Tash sighed, acknowledging I was right, and I sighed too, because I didn't want to be. I looked at the ground and tried not to think of the long walk back.

"You know," began Suzie slyly, " if they're rich, they probably have a lot of cars. I'm sure they wouldn't mind if we, you know, borrowed one for a night..."

"No!" Tash glared at Suzie for thinking such evil thoughts. 

"Aww," she pouted, "What if we just took a cheap one. Like a Mustang, or a Camero..." She trailed off as Tash continued her glare of refusal. 

"You're no fun," she declared as if it was the worst insult in the world. Then she stuck her tongue out and "phhttt" -ed Tash. I realized the walk home was going to be hell if they were going to carry on like this, at least driving was faster. 

"Besides," I said casually, "we wanted to see the school. Now's our chance to get a real good look at it, without taking some sugar coated tour. Who knows, remember that Genosha scam? This could end up being like that. We can't be too careful."

Suzie smiled evilly, "I think you might be a psychic too," she crouched low, preparing to leap over the fence, "'cause you just read my mind."

She took three quick steps and easily leaped the fence, sending a shower of sparks out as she fried the circuits of the security system and opened the gates to let us in. 

"Oh no." Tash shook her head as I dumped out luggage behind a bush and began to drag her inside. Suzie welcomed us at the gate with a bow.

"Welcome to Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters." she looked up at us with a smile, "Would you prefer smoking or non?" 

She laughed and then led us to one of the windows of the mansion with a, "Come Come," as if she were the queen of Britain. I didn't question her, for Suzie was the queen of break-ins, and damn proud of it. She stopped by the window and full of confidence said, "And now we enter." The closed her eyes and there was a small click as the window electronically unlocked. She smiled, basking in the glory as she put on a pair of black leather gloves, all professional like, and slid the window open. 

"This is too easy." She smirked, glancing back at Tash and I, "too easy..."

She stopped suddenly. The smile vanishing from her face and she became alert and tense, listening. Tash heard it too, and soon I found myself being dragged and jerked down behind a bush for apparently no reason what so ever. Then I saw the jet. 

It was one of those stealth jets that don't make any audible sound until they're about 100 meters away from you, unless you have super hearing, like Tash and Suzie. My first thought was that the commando's had found us again, for jets like this are only used by the army, and this one was way to close to be doing some random fly by. I saw Suzie and Tash grow tense, preparing for a fight. I reached for my guns.

The jet slowed, and began to hover. I watched it as the lights came on and the landing gear went out. Then suddenly I heard Tash.

"Um, is the basket ball court supposed to be doing that?"

I gaped as the basketball court opened up to reveal a hole in the ground big enough to hold the jet! It took me a moment.

"A hanger?" I asked, just to make sure I wasn't finally losing my mind. I looked at Suzie, who gave a slight nod while watching the jet descend slowly into the hole. The look in her eyes was calculating, which made me worried, because Suzie's schemes, even the good ones, always involved something dangerous. 

The jet had, by now, turned around and was slowly descending into the sub-terrain hanger. The bushes moved beside me. 

About two seconds later I found myself running towards the jet with Tash at my side. Both of us were chasing after our lunatic friend who, against all common sense, had decided to follow the jet into the big, deep, black hole, for the sake of her own curiosity. Of course I guess we weren't any better, because we both followed her there.

The jet had begun to descend quickly into the hanger as Suzie reached the edge of the hole and jumped an easy meter to the back stabilizer. Tash, who was about a half-second behind her, not only jumped but also dropped about a meter as well. As for me, well, I chickened out and paused at the edge of the hole. I paid for it about two seconds later when, in all my grace, I finally decided to jump a whole six meters, only to land within a hairs breath of Suzie. Then, to stable myself, I latched onto Suzie as Tash, being afraid of heights, clung to her opposite side. Suzie of course, lost her balance, and we all came crashing down in a big, loud, whiny, whimpering, groaning, adamantium cursing heap, which silenced just as the jet engines quit and the door slid open. We froze as a group of strange people dressed in everything from Speedo's and spandex to business suits and trench coats came out of the jet. I over heard their conversation, which went something like this:

BaldGuyInTackyYellowFloatingChair: Your point is well taken Scott. I shall look into the possibility of recruiting some new students. 

RedGlassesAndBlueSpandex: Thank you professor. I know it's not entirely urgent that we do so. However I think I speak for all of us when I say we could use a little help.

HairyOrneryMidgetInYellowSpendex: Well you're wrong Boy Scout, you don't speak for all of us. _(Groans)_

HalfNudeRedHead: That shoulder of yours could say otherwise. Are you sure you don't want me to look at it?

LongHairedFrenchGuyInTrenchCoat: 'E want you to look ah' evreithin' petit. 'E just too shy te say it?

HairyOrneryMidgetInYellowSpendex: Shuddup Cajun!

SouthernAccentInGreenSpandex: Shuddup Cajun. And jus fer the record, ah sure as hell would not mand a few more hands round here. That's the third time ah've had te run outta the shower at the bec'n call o magnito. 

BlueFuzzBallInSpeedo: I agree with you completely Rogue. Until Storm, Marrow and Maggot get back, we are short handed. 

LongHairedFrenchGuyInTrenchCoat: Who's short? Nah me. Dough I can't be speaking for all who're 'ere.

HairyOrneryMidgetInYellowSpendex: Shuddup Cajun!

The doors closed behind them again and we were all left in utter confusion. Suzie summed up all our thoughts in three words.

"What the fuck?" Then she added, "Get offa me!" quite intelligently summing up our next course of action the same way. I got to my feet and rubbed my poor shins while Tash and Suzie gazed around the hanger. I heard a light thumping noise as Suzie jumped the next three meters to the ground, landing in a perfect commando roll and summer-saulting to her feet. Tash landed neatly on all fours after diving off the wing head first, and I survived, which was lucky enough for me. 

"Oh this is a really great freaking mess we've managed to get ourselves into this time!" Said Tash as she glared accusingly as Suzie. I just gaped at the jet. 

"Well, look at the bright side," said Death, optimistically, "This place doesn't completely suck. They have beer. I could smell it on them." She smiled a sort-of, so there smirk and walked off towards the door with Tash glaring daggers into her back. She used her powers to open the door, stopping only long enough to say, "Mental link only from here on in." I nodded and so did Tash. Then we slipped through the door and entered the space on the other side. It scared me. 

There were metal walls, everywhere, and as they gleamed coldly in the pale florescent light, I was instantly reminded of Suzie's brief descriptions of "the lab." I suddenly began to wonder what "recruiting new students" actually meant here. 

"Perhaps we should not stick around to find out." I recognized Tash's brain pattern as she telepathically linked Suzie and I. Suzie didn't say anything, but a strange look began forming on her face, and I knew she was slowly loosing it. Best advice, leave now. 

"There." Suzie pointed, indicating an elevator up to the main level. We followed as she opened the doors and let us in. Now the only problem was anybody who might be in the vicinity when we reached the top and opened the doors. Once they saw us we were good as toast, but luckily, we had developed a system to get around this. 

Suzie let out one claw and sliced a hole in the ceiling of the car. We then boosted Tash, who was the smallest, up into the shaft so she could use her super hearing to scan the floor for any movement of any creature. In a few seconds, Tash jumped back down, gave us the all clear, and we were on our way. 

However, little did we know that some members of this "school" have the annoying ability to float around wherever they go, without making so much as the sound of a pin drop. In this case, it was the southern one, Rogue I believe, who caught us off guard. She passed the elevator just as the doors opened, and Suzie, Tash and I had just enough time to dive into a closet across the hallway, before she looked back. Once again, we stood there, frozen in very uncomfortable positions, afraid to move in case one of us got propelled into the hallway, waiting for her to pass. 

She didn't.

"Gambit!" she yelled. 

"Jea Chere?" replied the Cajun whom I assumed was called Gambit.

"The damn elevator's on the blink again." She complained, "Look, the door's stuck open."

"Shit," Suzie link swore. We heard the doors shut and an electrical hum as the elevator went back down again. There was a gasp of surprise from the two onlookers. 

"There it goes again!" 

"Dat ting sure 'as a mind of it's own, non?" said the Cajun. " Eh 'ank [Hank], did jou see dat?"

"Did I see what Gambit?"

"The elevator's busted again!" said Rogue, "Look, now the bloody thing won't come back up again!" She pounded the button with her finger.

"Don't let it come up," I linked to Suzie, "the hole."

"I know," Suzie linked, sounding slightly pissed off. I guessed it was because my elbow was digging into her stomach at the time. 

"Damnnit!" Rogue gave up. 

"Odd," said Hank "perhaps it is blocked?"

"Well den," Gambit put what little brain he had to work, "let's open dis bean can up, Chere?"

"Ma pleasure!"

Tash and Suzie winced as a horrible metallic screeching sound came from across the hall. It took me a second to realize the woman was forcing the elevator doors open with her bare hands, easily! She stopped and the three of us listened with baited breath as a dead silence followed. Two seconds later it was broken by a whistle and Gambit's French accent.

"Damn those rats sure got big!"

Hank grabbed the intercom.

"Would all personnel please report to the main floor elevator".

"What is it Hank?" I recognized the voice. It was the square with the weird red glasses.

"We got intruders Scott, That's what!" Said Rogue.

"Intruders? Where?" I recognized the sandpaper voice of the midget. 

"Ah dunno." Said Gambit, "Dey jus' cut a big 'ole in de elevator an left."

Suzie suddenly decided she'd had enough hide and seek. "Let's get outta here!" She linked, meaning she was ready to explode. I tried to calm her.

"Wait, let me think of a plan first!" I linked, and ignoring her profane, unhappy response I did. It wasn't the greatest of plans, but it hopefully wouldn't get anybody killed, on either their side or ours. I linked. 

"Alright, I've got my laser on stun. When they open the door, I'll shoot them and give us some time to get out. We run like mad and jump out of the first window we see, all right? And no using our powers unless we have to. That way we can always save them as a surprise attack incase we get caught. Okay?"

Tash agreed and Suzie complained about hiding like cowards, but she was outvoted. I took aim. 

Outside, it had become rather quiet. Someone began sniffing, and I held my breath. Slow, heavy steps began coming towards the closet. They stopped directly in front of the door. I heard a metallic "shink".

"Suzie!" I linked angrily "I said no powers, that includes claws!"

I was perfecting my aim on the door when she linked me her answer.

"Those aren't mine!"

"What?" I said out loud, completely not understanding. I turned my head to look at my friend as the doors were ripped open by a hairy, short, muscular man whose eyebrows were so scrunched up in rage I couldn't see his eyes. He roared in my face, his putrid smoke filled breath filling my nostrils as I screamed in terror and fired out of sheer defense reflex. I sank to the back of the closet, too afraid to move.

The force of the shot had been enough however, and the hairy man fell backwards as Tash yelled, "GO" and sprinted forward. Suzie grabbed me by the wrist and yanked me out of the closet. We ran, Suzie almost dragging me down the hall.

I was doing ok, being dragged and all, until we reached the first corner. Then, in my state of non-balance I swung wide on Suzie's lead, playing crack the whip directly into a wall. The doors in all directions shook as I bounced off it and landed on my back, dizzy from the impact. When the stars cleared, I saw Gambit looming over me. He shook his head.

"Dat musta smart!"

I glared at him for a moment, and then sank back to the ground in defeat. I was caught, for now, at least until Tash and Suzie were free. I linked with my friends, hoping they would make it. Tash and Suzie ran on, knowing I could blow this place sky high once they were out of range.

I reached them as they turned another corner, running parallel to each other as fast as they could. Using Suzie's psychic ability, I could see what they saw, and use it to give them advice. It seemed we might make it, when our transmission was suddenly interrupted.

"Please do not resist us, we will do you no harm." The psychic waves flowed into my mind like an uninvited tranquillizer. I tried to shake them off, concentrating on my friends. Suzie was fine. Being a psychic herself, the drug had no effect on her. Tash however, was not, and she began to lag behind more and more as the assault on her mind persisted, the pursuers gaining with each step. She glanced behind, and through her mind, I saw the blue beast was almost upon her.

"Morph!" I yelled and linked at the same time. The blue beast dove at her in a tackle as she suddenly transformed into a sleek cheetah cat. She kicked out behind her as the beast's arms grabbed at her legs, scratching his face and breaking free. Then she raced forward with so much speed it seemed she might overtake Suzie again. 

However as she passed an open hallway a red beam sideswiped her into a wall with a loud bang. I saw her vision blur, and then the link broke all together. Needless to say, Tash didn't land on all fours. 

***

"'Ey? Petite?"

I snapped out of link world to see Gambit kneeling down beside me. 

"Jou ok?" he asked, then " 'ow many fingers I got?" He held up five in front of my face, still holding my wrist with the other. I looked up at him and shook my head.

"Combien de doits?" I asked in French, "Un." 

" 'Ey, jou speak French! Not bad peti..." he stopped as he realized I was holding my middle finger to his face. He glared at me, grabbed my wrists and dragged me to my feet. I couldn't help but smile. What a dumbass! I shook my head and passed back into the link with Suzie as the Cajun marched me down the hall with my arm twisted behind my back.

***

Suzie was, by now, way ahead of us. In my mind I saw her turn a sharp corner and head through a set of double doors. A large rec room lay beyond, with a big fireplace, and many large windows. She was about to dive through one, when she found her way blocked by a flying Rogue. She charged, putting all her weight into bursting through her and out of the mansion. It didn't work. Rogue easily grabbed Suzie's wrists, spun her around in mid air and then sent her flying into the stone fireplace. There was a sickening clank as her adamantium enforced skull hit the brickwork, and she crumpled slowly to the ground. Slowly, she staggered back up to her feet, only to be faced by that same hairy midget who had scared the crap out of me earlier. She looked at him a second, then, suddenly broke the link. 

I came to only to find that my arm had become very sore. The Cajun was directing me down the halls and soon, I found myself in the same room as Suzie. Behind me, the blue beast and the guy with the glasses came in, dragging behind them a pissed off cheetah on a quickly made choke chain. I glared at them. Tash didn't like choke chains. I was about to say something when a metallic "shink" distracted my attention. I turned back to Suzie.

Her and the midget still hadn't moved, they stood, staring at each other as the spectators filed in. Looking around, she must have realized she was cornered. An eerie, wild look was filling her eyes. I held my breath.

The midget looked around the room, and decided he had the upper hand. He smirked. "Give it up Kid, you ain't gonna win against us." 

I gaped at his foot long claws, six of them, protruding from his knuckles. In the light, they gleamed coldly, with the deadly aura of Suzie's self same adamantium blades. My mind whirled. They were the same, but how, and what did it mean? 

Suzie continued to stare at them. The crazy look in her eyes sobered slowly into a hard resolve as she pulled herself up to her full height. Looking closely, a smile played on her lips, and I realized I was looking at a serial killer in the making. In my mind, I begged her not to lose it. My thoughts raced, trying to stop her from giving in to that violent personality within.However she wasn't listening. Suzie wasn't home, Femme X had taken over. 

"Well," said the midget, "You gonna give up?"

An empty, cold sound emitted from Suzie, which, to those who knew her, was to be recognized as a sadistic chuckle. Her face broke into an evil smile, and the midget, as well as everyone else, raised their eyebrows in confusion. However she didn't care about everyone else. Locking her eyes directly on the midget she wiped the rest of us away, giving us no more thought than she did to the paint on the wall. The laugher stopped and she held him in a cold steady gaze, which he returned, somewhat confused, but all the more wary and just as harsh. There was a heavy silence filling the room as the staring contest began. Suzie's voice sounded hollow as an ice cavern when she spoke.

"Well," she smiled, "at last we meet."

The midget raised his eyebrows, but didn't lose his cool. 

"Do I know you?" he grunted in a voice dry and rough as sandpaper.

She considered for a moment, playing. 

"Mmmmm, no," She concluded, "but I know you."

"Is that so?" he asked. He seemed to think she was bluffing. This amused her. "How?" 

Triumph! I saw Suzie's smile widen into a full satisfied victory grin gone evil. The question was just the invitation she had been waiting for. She paused for effect, before laying her first bombshell. 

Slowly and deliberately she curled her hands into fists, flexing her forearm muscles. One by one, her own claws cut through her skin, each giving off a loud, metallic "shink" as they came to their full length. 

There were gasps of confusion and awe from the spectators, especially the midget, who took a step black and blinked in shock. I heard Frenchy whisper; "Mon Dieu!" and his jaw hung open forming a perfect 'O.' Even I was had to admit it was very impressive.

Suzie could barely control her pleasure at the crowd's reaction, but she wasn't finished. In the deadfall silence that followed, she spoke. A whisper like the north wind, that sent shivers up my spine.

"Weapon X." she smiled, "At last we meet." 

(Then there was a commercial break because you know whenever there is a good part in a show or movie those losers at FUTV or wherever can only see the potential for profit and money so instead of letting you enjoy the show they have to degrade it's cultural and spiritual value by throwing in a commercial for that greasy birthplace of obesity known as Mac Donald's! Anyway, just so you know. Now back to the story.)


	2. Enter The X-trio Part 2

"Weapon X

"Weapon X." she smiled, "At last we meet." 

It took a few seconds for the words to reach the midget, but the effect was instant. The surprise vanished in a flash and was replaced by rage so fierce I could almost see sparks in his eyes. He dropped into a fighting stance, growling as a sneer played on his lips and the light glinted off his claws. 

Suzie did the same and within seconds, they were at each other's throats. I wasn't looking. Staring hard at the ground, I could see where this would lead, and if I was right, it wasn't just Weapon "X" who could lose his life. I needed a plan.

As far as I could see, we had two options. Pull Suzie out of the fight long enough to calm her down, or render her unconscious. Since the former was impossible, without getting hacked to bits, I figured the latter would have to do. However we couldn't execute the latter, without getting everyone in the room killed, which is what we were trying to avoid in the first place. "Not good," I thought, "not good."  
"Roar!" yeah ok, that's not how cheetahs sound, but at this point I looked up to see Tash trying to get my attention. She had a plan! Perfect! Now if only I could figure out what she was trying to say!

She shook her head and pawed her face. No good. As hard as I tried, I couldn't figure out what she was trying to say. 

"Shit!" I swore aloud and thought, "If only I could read her mi..."

"Where's your psychic?" I demanded. 

"Wha?" The Cajun looked at me confused. Obviously I'd gone too fast for his small mind. 

"Where is your psychic?" I said it slowly, pronouncing each syllable as if I was talking to a four year old. It worked. 

"Oh, jou mean Jeanie? She ova dere." He pointed to some red head standing in the corner. I began to drag the Cajun over there, when I found my path suddenly blocked.

"Yiah!" 

WeaponX landed on his back about a foot in front of me. I felt myself being jerked backwards again by Gambit as Suzie leapt on top of him, trying to staple him to the floor with her claws. He blocked, only by entangling their claws together, inches from his face. They were both sweating and breathing hard, neither of them seemed injured. Suzie was smiling.

"Too slow old man!" She watched his rage grow. 

However X wasn't beaten yet. In the blink of an eye he arched his back, setting Suzie off balance, just long enough to free his claws and attack. He slashed across Suzie's stomach, the blades penetrating several inches into the flesh. Her shriek was deafening as blood began to spurt from the wound. Weapon X grimaced, and Suzie jumped on the opportunity. 

She blocked his next attack with one set of claws, and stabbed the other through the flesh of his hip. Using these as a pivot, she swung her legs around, kicking him hard in the face twice, and then pushing herself to her feet. She grabbed her wounded stomach and fell once again into an attacking stance. She was ready to dive at X again, when suddenly Rogue lifted her off the ground. 

"That's enough, the both of you!" She began floating away from X, who was getting to his feet, dragging Suzie with her. Suzie closed her eyes, preparing to attack.

"No, don't!" I screamed, but it was too late. A large bolt of electricity came out of Suzie's body and hit Rogue, frying her like a bug on a cage light. The Cajun ran to her as she slumped back down to the ground lifeless. I couldn't tell if she was still alive.

Suzie, bleeding and breathing hard, turned back to the midget, who was already waiting for her. However the onslaught had begun, and now she wasn't just facing WeaponX, she was facing all of them.

The Cajun's attack came first. In one clean move he grabbed two playing cards out of his pocket and turned them a bright glowing pink. With a flick of his wrist he threw them at her with amazing speed and accuracy, but Suzie dodged them and they exploded as they hit the brick fireplace. As she landed however, the guy with the red glasses attacked her, his red beam sweeping her off her feet and blasting her into a corner. She the wall hard, and small plaster chips began to fall off it as she slumped to the floor, struggling with consciousness.

I grimaced. As evil and as insane as she was, she was still my friend, and she was obviously in pain. She got to her feet slowly, her knees trembling beneath her, the blood running off them like water. WeaponX and his friends formed a semicircle around her, trapping her, and out numbering her. Suzie panicked, all logical human thought leaving her mind. She was like a wild animal, cornered and wounded. She would do anything to keep from being captured. Anything.

"STOP!" 

"ROAR!"

"ENOUGH!"

I broke through the semicircle of the advancing party and stood between them and Suzie. I soon realized that I wasn't alone. Tash was standing beside me, and beside her, was the psychic Jean. I looked at her, confused, then at the group of fighters in front of us. Then I realized the Cajun had stripped me of all my guns when he'd caught me, and that I didn't have a weapon to my name. As they say in Japan, "Baka." 

I put my fists up and tried to look threatening, while Tash continued to snarl beside me. I realized soon, however, that we were wasting our breath, as everyone else was staring at Jean.

"That is enough." She repeated, calmer this time. Her eyes surveyed her teammates in an almost threatening fashion. They stood, too shocked to move. She continued, "There will be no more blood-shed. I have talked to these girls and they do not wish to fight us. This will be resolved with words, not fists. Now back away." 

Slowly they began to obey, each one stepping back, keeping one hand on whatever weapon they had. In my head I heard an intrusive voice, the same voice I had heard before, speaking to me. 

"You're friend, the cheetah, has explained to me about your other friend. Don't worry, we will not threaten her anymore. Can you calm her down?"

I looked behind me at Suzie, who was still leaning against the wall, searching the room with wild eyes. She saw me, and by the puzzled expression on her face I could tell she still didn't recognize who I was, and why I was defending her. I looked at her calmly, not moving, not fearing, and slowly, she began to remember.

Then I lost her. In one quick second her eyes darted beyond me, and locked on a target. She sobered again, crouched, and before I could stop her, she was flying through the air, aiming her claws at WeaponX. He was already waiting for her, claws drawn, feet planted. They were about a foot apart, when Suzie froze in mid air. 

I blinked, and there was a general moment of surprise from everyone as Suzie began to float to the ceiling, held there by Jean's telekinesis. I watched as Suzie began to kick and scream, struggling with all her might against Jean's will power, but it was to no avail. There was only one thing left she could do, one final attack that would destroy everyone in this room instantly, possibly even herself. She closed her eyes. 

Tash ran for the farthest corner, but even she wouldn't be quick enough, and I knew that at such close range, these morons's would be fried into carbon dust by Suzie's attack. In desperation I came up with a plan, and praying it would work, I ran towards Suzie.

She was already finished drawing her power, and was just opening her eyes and spreading her arms to take aim. Just as I heard the static crackle, signaling her attack, I jumped, grabbed her by the hair, and hung on for dear life. 

Instantly her head jerked backwards and her hands flew up to her head. The pain of having her hair yanked sent her screeching and screaming, as Jean's telekinesis faltered at the added weight and we began to sink slowly to the ground. In her panic, Suzie unleashed her attack, expelling gigavolts from her body in a spectacular light show of white electricity. The sheer force of it burst the light bulbs in the room and showers of sparks rained down upon us like sparklers on New Years Eve, however, that was about the worst effect it had. 

By pulling Suzie's hair I had destroyed her aim, and now in her pain and shock, she had little control over the electricity that was coursing through our bodies. As an added bonus, Jean's faltering had brought us to the floor, and without Suzie's control, the energy took a natural course straight into the ground where it dispersed, almost harmlessly. What was left gave everyone a momentary jolt, and an instant Afro, but no one was seriously hurt. 

In five seconds it was over, and we both came crashing down, Suzie's two hundred pound adamantium skeleton landing on top of me, knocking the wind out of me. I rolled away, and then lay on the ground for a moment, my body struggling to absorb the massive amount of wattage it had just received. My heart pounded as my lungs struggled to breath the air they could almost reach, and the world was like a tie-dyed circus as I tried to blink the sunspots from my eyes. For a moment, I was almost unconscious with confusion. Then Gambit made it all clear to me. 

"'Ey! She's alive!" I opened my eyes and looked past the sunspots to see him staring down at me as if a miracle had just been preformed. I struggled to sit up, coughing as I did, looking around at some of the other faces above me. I took a deep, painful breath and managed to blurt out, "Suzie." 

The sunspots cleared and I saw she was lying on the ground, not too far from my left. Tash was with her, nudging her slightly but getting no response. Swiping away the hands that tried to hold me down I crawled to her and checked for a pulse. I already knew what I would find. With a charge that big, it was no surprise that her heart had stopped. I used all the precious air in my lungs and swore.

"Her heart's stopped." I said to no one in particular. Everyone heard.

"What!"

Hands threw me back and three people, Jean, Hank and Scott, formed a tight ring around my friend. Within seconds the beast was doing CPR while Jean examined Suzie and Scott ran to get the defibulator. He was almost out the door before I finally managed to collect enough air to yell, "STOP!" 

Within seconds everyone was looking at me like I was insane. Ignoring them, I got to my feet and, with Trash's help, shooed everyone away from the unconscious Suzie. As they watched, confused, I dragged her by the wrists to the closest light socket I could find, and waited while Tash found me something thin and metallic, a fork. 

I put the fork in Suzie's hand and jammed it into the plug as Einstein yelled, "Wait! Dat dangerous petite!" I ignored Gambit and continued with my treatment. After five seconds I pulled it out again, and checked for her pulse. It was there, I sighed in relief.

"Will she be alright?" Asked Scott. 

I nodded and I took my first deep breath as I watched my friend begin to breath again. She would be fine. 

I suddenly realized an awkward silence had filled the room, and looked up to take it in. They were staring at us, their gazes so intense I looked away from their eyes and surveyed the damage of the battle. Gambit was holding an unconscious Rogue, Hank was a fir ball with a scratched face. Tash and most of the others seemed fine, if not slightly dazzled, and WeaponX stood slightly apart from the others, glaring at us with vicious eyes. He looked so fierce I almost forgot he had a skewered hip and laser burn on his chest. I looked away and stared at the ground. What was going to happen now? 

It was gambit who at last broke the staring match with the first nearly intelligent words I'd heard him say.

""Ey Jean. We'd better get Rogue to da infirmary." 

"Infirmary?" I repeated as my friend's blood spilled across the floor. 

Jean, and everyone else, seemed to come out of a daze as she spoke. "Of course! Gambit, will you grab Rogue? And you two," she lifted Suzie up again with her telekinesis, "Follow me." 

Mindlessly I followed her through the doors and back down the halls to the elevator. Behind me, I was aware of WeaponX, mumbling and cursing under his breath as he limped along. If she noticed, Jean didn't seem to consider him a threat. I hoped her assumption was correct. 

We reached the elevator, and I was distracted as I felt Tash nudge my hand. It took me a second before I realized they had pushed the "down" button, which led towards the lab type place. My throat tightened. 

"Um, excuse me?" my voice sounded small and squeaky. Jean turned around and looked at me, an encouraging smile on her face. I continued, "Is the infirmary down there?" Once again the phrase, new recruits, passed through my mind. Jean answered my question with a nod. I took a deep breath. 

"Um, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid we'll have to pass." I kept my eyes to the floor as I waited for her to ask why, she didn't.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I looked up, surprised at her apology, "I should have thought of that sooner. We'll use the recovery room instead. This way." 

Tash and I stood confused, as Jean turned to go down another hall. She was stopped by a loud, angry voice that sounded to me like sandpaper on granite. 

"What the hell is this?" WeaponX demanded. His eyes met mine and I suddenly felt about three inches tall. Even short as he was, with his injured leg, I was still afraid of him. He continued to pick on me. 

"Beggars can't be choosers kid," growled, "an you being the ones who started all this, seems to me you should be glad we're helping you at all!" 

He narrowed his eyes at me until they were nothing but small, black pinpoints of light under his bushy eyebrows. Tash growled at him, but I lost my nerve and looked away, stammering. "Um... well...you see..."

"If I remember correctly Logan," Jean interrupted, "You didn't like the infirmary either when you first got here."

It was obvious she'd hit a mark as he looked through me and glared at Jean. He balled his hands into first and flexed his jaw in rage, but could find nothing to say in reply. Beaten, he turned away, once again cursing under his breath. Jean whispered something to Scott and he headed down the elevator alone. I breathed again as we started walking forward. 

When we finally reached it, I saw the recovery room was a middle sized, well-lit room with three beds, in three curtained partitions. A 24" television was mounted to the ceiling close to the door, and there was even a small bathroom off to one side. I saw Tash nod approvingly. 

"I think this should do," said Jean, laying Suzie down on a bed. "It doesn't have all the equipment the infirmary has, however I should be able to patch your friend up fine right here." 

I smiled. "Thanks, but there shouldn't be any need." I nodded to Suzie. Already she had stopped dripping blood, and her pale white skin was beginning to show at the edges of the ripped leather.

"Incredible!" said Hank, who was now nothing but a blue fuzz ball with static.

"An I thought Wolvie was fast." Said Gambit.

"Shaddup Cajun," Said Logan. 

Seeing we were right, Jean let Suzie alone and went straight to Rogue, who was still quite unconscious. She put her in one of the beds and, shooing Gambit out, closed the curtains and began her work, leaving the rest of us outside. It wasn't long before the staring match began again, Tash and I, against three of them.

Personally, I didn't know whether to run, reach for the sky, or try talking to them. It was now obvious that they were mutants, and that we were too, so this wasn't Genosha. However it wasn't a regular school either. 

No one in this room looked under twenty, and some looked as old as forty, if not older. There was a jet and a high tech lab somewhere below us, and I doubted they wore spandex for the fun of it. They were dressed in battle uniforms, but for what? 

Jean finished with Rogue and then told Gambit to take her to her room. She then went to Logan, who grunted that he was fine without taking his eyes off us. She insisted, and an argument broke out that ended with Jean giving up just as Scott and Gambit re-entered the room. Scott was not alone. Behind him followed the old, bald guy in the hover chair I remembered seeing from the jet hanger. He also seemed to be the head hauncho of the place. As he entered the room, all eyes turned expectantly to him.

He surveyed us with calm, curious eyes that seemed to penetrate deep into our minds. I guessed quickly that he was a psychic, and that he was trying to probe our minds for information. To counter, I occupied my mind with the decoration of the room and the tiles in the ceiling. He took the hint, and after a moment, spoke. 

"Pardon me for being so detained," his manner was that of someone who was late for a business meeting. "I was doing some research on the computer downstairs. I must not have heard the announcement."

I was almost at the point of believing this man had no intention of fighting, and no secrets to hide, until gambit spoke. 

"Computer?.." he seemed confused, "Oh, jou mean Cerebro!"..."

Everyone glared at him a moment, as if he had let some big secret slip. He instantly backed off as the professor continued. 

"I'm sorry for the rather rude reception you girls have received," he said, "please allow me to introduce myself. I am professor Charles Xavier, and this is my school for gifted youngsters."

I looked at him, then at Tash. We were both thinking the same thing, school? But then another fight wasn't something we wanted to start. So I just answered as formally as I could. 

"Nice to meet you, and we're sorry for trespassing on your property. If anything this is our fault, not yours." 

"Ass kisser!" I recognized Suzie's link pattern. She was laughing.

"Shut up," I linked, very relieved that she was alright, "and stay asleep"

"Well if you're going to be like that!" she linked, pretending to be hurt.

"What were you doing here in the first place?" Growled Logan, I snapped back to reality. 

"Well...uh..That's a long story," I stammered. Why was I so afraid of a shrimp like him?

He folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against the wall. "We ain't going anywhere," he said, his eyes boring holes into my head.

"Our car crashed, and we were looking for a phone to call for a tow truck." I looked at Tash, who had suddenly returned to her normal form. "If it's alright with you, we'll just phone a cab and be on our way." She finished. 

"Smooth!" I thought. I had never heard Tash fib before, and I looked at her somewhat impressed she had managed to come up with something so good so fast. 

"Why thank you!" Linked Suzie. I should have known.

"If you're sure that is what you want to do," said the professor, "I'll be glad to help you out. However, may I suggest something?" I looked at Tash and nodded cautiously. "It's very late, and your friend may not be up to much travel right now. We have many spare rooms that you're welcome to use for as long as you wish. You may even use this one for tonight." he gestured to the three beds, and paused before continuing. 

"Also, I realize that you are all quite gifted, and have great skill in using your powers. I mentioned that this was a school for the gifted, and we have several programs that are set up to help youth such as yourself learn to deal with your powers, both physically and mentally. Perhaps you might find it advantageous to join us." He paused, and gave each of us time to mull this over in our minds, before concluding, "However, if you wish to call a cab, there is a phone right here you may use, line two is the outside line. If there is anything more you need, or wish to discuss, feel free to use the intercom. I'm at line four, and the kitchen is just down the hall to your left. I assume you haven't eaten. I will get Scott to bring you something."

He had finished making his sales pitch and was now going to leave the three of us to our devices, so we could choose out actions. He concluded.

"Now, if you will excuse us ladies, it is getting late and we all need our rest. Sleep well, if you so choose, and good night."

"Hold it right there."

Logan stood up and blocked his way as the professor turned to leave. He glared at him for a moment, and then looked around the room at each of his teammates before he finally spoke.

"Did I miss something here?" His fists were clenched and he seemed like a wire about to snap. There was a venomous hiss in his voice as he waved a hairy hand in our direction. "That psycho bitch just tried to fry us all, and you're treating them like guests?" He glared at us. "We don't even know who they are, or why they're here. They're probably spying on us, for Magnito, or Apocalypse, or..."

"The Canadian Army?" I looked back at Suzie, who sat up slowly to prevent herself from feinting again. There was a mocking smirk on her face as she spoke next. "Is that what you're afraid of old man?"

I saw his eyes flash in rage as he ground his teeth, furious. Suzie had hit a nerve, striking a crucial blow to his pride. Everyone knew Suzie was right, he was afraid of us, at least on some level.

"That is enough!" said the professor. 

"No it aint!" Logan wasn't going to give up. He glared directly at Suzie. 

"Who are you, and how did you know that name?"

She shrugged in response, smiling and playing innocent. "Lucky guess?" she suggested. 

Logan roared, "Don't play innocent with me bitch! We both know that ain't true! Now are ya gonna say what is, or do I have to claw it out of you?" 

He brought his claws out and brandished them taking a step towards us.

"NO ONE is going to claw ANYONE! IS THAT CLEAR!" the professor was more than a little pissed off. "Logan, you will leave this room immediately. Is that clear!

Logan whirled around and glared at the professor so furiously I thought he would rip his head off. The blood vessels in his forehead bulged out and even the stubble on his chin was standing on end, tense with rage. For a second, I knew he was going to lose it, but to my surprise, he didn't.

"Fine." He took a deep breath and brought his claws back in. A second later he seemed to have calmed himself back to a reasonable level and he spoke. "I'll leave the room." he said, "but I ain't leaving this hall." Glancing back over his shoulder at us he continued. "After all, it's a big place. We wouldn't want you getting lost on your way to the front door now would we? You might miss your cab." 

He smiled, but not because he was happy. It was as if to say, "Fine, we'll play it your way. I'll still win." and with that he turned his back to us and stepped out of the room. The others followed him, seeming somewhat comforted that Logan would be keeping watch over us. Only the professor paused for a moment to see if we would have any problems with him being there. 

We looked at each other, and shrugged. No, we didn't mind. The windows worked, the door locked, and we could talk in link. Tash nodded to the professor that he could go, so with a quick good night, he left, and we were alone. 

"Link conference!" Suzie declared, in link. Tash and I sat down on her bed and nodded. I went first. 

"Glad you're ok Suzie, sorry about the hair."

"That's ok." she laughed, "Sorry about knocking the wind out of you."

"No problem." I replied. "Now then, down to business. Do we stay or go?"

"I think we should stay." Tash.

Suzie, "GO!"

I had expected as much. Being the third person, it was up to me to decide. I sighed. "Well let's consider who we're dealing with." I suggested. "The professor is the boss here, and he seems fairly reasonable to me what about you?"

"He really seems to want to help people," linked Tash, "and God knows we all could use a little help controlling our powers." I agreed, then Suzie linked. 

"Or he could just be acting." She contradicted. "Who knows what he uses that lab down there for? Think about it Chris, it's not small enough to be just an infirmary. There were lots more rooms down there we didn't see."

Another good point. 

"I don't think we should stick around here to find out either." she continued, "I think we should just pack up and leave now, while we still can...."

She stopped as the door opened and Scott stepped in. He had lost the visor and was wearing wrap around glasses of the same red tinted glass instead. In his hands he was carrying a platter with pizza on it and three cans of coke. He smiled at us. 

"I hope you don't mind pepperoni," he said, "It was the only one left."

I looked at Suzie, to see if she would answer. She didn't. Instead she sat there, perfectly still, as her cheeks began to turn pink and a shocked smile played on her lips. I almost fell backwards off the bed. 

"Pepperoni is fine," she said. Her voice betrayed her giggliness. "Will you be...joining us for dinner?"

I hid my smiling face with my hand as he replied, "No thanks, I've got some work I have to do. If you need anything though, I'm at line 6, ok?"

"Sure!" Suzie said, a little too enthusiastically. I could barely contain myself. The second the door shut Tash and I fell off the bed laughing.

"What?" Suzie asked, which just made me laugh harder. 

"Oh predicable Death!" Tash chided her. "If you were any redder!"

Suzie put a hand to her face, "Was I blushing?" she asked, terrified. 

"And giggling." I confirmed 

"Was I that obvious?" 

Tash and I could only nod in response. I calmed myself and grabbed a piece of pizza before stating the obvious. 

"So we're staying?" I asked. There were enthusiastic nods from Tash AND Suzie. I smiled and linked, "Then I guess we'd better get our stuff!"


	3. Jean and Scott's thoughts, you can skip ...

"Well that's done," remarked Scott as he entered the professor's study, where Jean and Xavier were already waiting for him.

"How were they?" asked Jean, referring to the three girls who had suddenly appeared in the mansion, and were now occupying the recovery room.

According to them, they had broken into the mansion looking for a phone, and had been caught unexpectedly when the X-men returned home. Wolverine, of course, had decided that violence and intimidation would be the best way to deal with them. The girls, of course, had retaliated, fearing that their lives were being threatened. Surprisingly, all of the girls were mutants, and although their story was most likely a fake, the professor had taken an instant interest in them and there well being. He was, after all, the professor. 

"Scott?" she asked again at her husband's silence. He seemed to be lost in thought.

"Surprisingly, they're fine." he said at last, "I got there and they were just talking and giggling like regular teenagers. It's odd." 

Jean thought so too, considering that just minutes before they had managed to provide no small challenge to seven key members of the X-men in combat.

"They do seem to be quite unique," said the professor, " which is the reason I've called you here in the first place. I would like your opinions on how we should handle this situation."

There was a small, contemplative silence in the room for a moment. Scott was the first to speak.

"It seems a little unfair to judge them at this point. We know so little about them, who they are, or where they come form..."

"Canada," Jean interrupted, "I'm almost certain they come from Canada. They made a comment about the Canadian army, and just in that we can draw a lot of conclusions." She looked out the window, forming thoughts in her head.

"Canadian army, you mean like Logan?" Asked Scott.

"Yes," Jean nodded, "Who else would know about the technique for making adamantium skeletons? It also explains how they managed to break into the mansion so easily, as well as her fighting skill, and..."

"Her mental stability?" Scott finished for her. During a battle with wolverine, the girl known as "Suzie" had gone into a fighting rage so furious she had almost killed even her own friends. It was just now that he was beginning to draw parallels between her and wolverine. There had been a time when Logan had been just as bad, if not worse. Bit by bit, he had improved, however Sabertooth, a former ally of wolverine, had been beyond the point of saving, and continued to live on as a beast-man who hated everything. The pressing question right now was, would Suzie turn out like Wolverine, or Sabertooth. The room was silent as each person considered this. 

"There are also her two friends to consider." Said the professor. "Jean, you had some contact with them, what did you think?" 

"As far as I can tell, the other two are quiet stable mentally, it's the physical side they need help with. The one, Tash, she didn't seem to be able to control her shape shifting ability that well, and as for the other one, Chris, I'm not sure she's a mutant at all. However they're both lovely girls, and both very loyal to their friend Suzie." Jean finished. 

"Wait, didn't that last one blast Logan out of the closet at the beginning?" Asked Scott. 

Jean shook her head. "Remy said he found stun-guns on her when he caught her. She may be just a run-away the other two bumped into."

"I doubt that," countered Scott, "she'd be dead right now after being struck with that electrical blast. What ever her powers are, she doesn't use them often, but I'm sure she has them."

A silence fell, and after a moment it seemed that there was nothing more to say. The professor spoke. "Thank you both, I shall consider your observations tomorrow when I question the girls further. For now, I'll let the two of you get some rest, it's quite late." And like that, the meeting was over. Jean and Scott got up to leave the room.

"Professor?" Jean asked before she shut the door. He turned to her. 

"Make sure you get some sleep too." Jean said. They both knew he'd be up all night thinking about this otherwise.

"I promise," he said, "Good night." 


	4. X-trio, What goes Chomp in the Night...

It was still dark when Suzie pressed her ear to the door and listened for any sound of the sentry, Logan. A smile played on her lips as she heard snoring. With a quick jolt of electricity the door opened a creak and she slipped past him, using all her commando skills and tactics to infiltrate the kitchen. 

"Hmmm," she mused, slipping in and opening the fridge. "There must be some leftovers somewhere." She began to pile food on the counter. "Mmmmmm...salami!" She then started to construct a masterpiece of a sandwich, surrounded by many desserts. She sat at the table and wiped away a little drool from the corner of her mouth. 

"Mmmmm Samich!" She drooled just before a large hairy hand clamped over her mouth and the other grabbed her "samich".

She bit down hard on the hand and soon enough blood filled her mouth as she elbowed him hard in the gut. 

He let her go, but being himself "X" healed immediatly. 

Suzie put the sandwich down and spat the blood out on the floor. "What the Fuck?" She wiped his blood from her lips with a sneer. 

"How the hell did you get out?" His claws came out and pressed at her throat. She laughed at the attempt of intimidation and side stepped his hand. 

"Don't try to intimidate me old man," she scoffed, picking up her sandwich and taking an oversized bite. " And you were asleep, oh Mighty Mouse." she held a piece of her sandwich out to him, "Samich?"

He stared at the place she had bitten, and the bread surrounding it, pinkish from his own blood. 

"Who are you?" he glared at her. Suzie looked at him for a minute, then laughed and rolled her eyes. 

"And I thought the Cajuin was the dim one!" She shook her head as the Wolverine, for just a minute, looked very confused. Then growled.

"What's that supposed to mean?" 

"You figure it out." She turned to leave, "I'm eating my samich."

"Hold it!" 

She ignored him and walked back towards the recovery room.

"I said hold it!"

Suzie stopped just outside the recovery room door and glared at him so ferociously his eyebrows arched in surprise. She raised her fist to him, and let her middle claw out. Then she burst out laughing and disappeared inside the recovery room door.

"Logan stood outside the recovery room shocked stone still.

"What the...." The very thought escaped him. She had ignored him, blown him off without a care, and stolen his claw move! No one did that! No one ever had! But she'd done it... How???

"Oh, and Wolvie?" 

He looked up suddenly at the sound of her voice.

"You might want to take a shower." she sniffed, "You stink!"

The door shut again and she was gone.


	5. Suzie v.s. Cerebro

I crept back into the room and closed the window just as Suzie appeared in the doorway.

"Wha...what...was that...You said...you'd get us...at least 15 minutes." I wheezed out of breath.

"You only needed 10." She smirked, "right Tash?"

Tash didn't answer, as she was already busy assembling the pieces of her flute and piccolo. Suzie rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Figures." She laughed, "Alright, let's set this place up," and she reached for the bag containing her laptop. 

I busied myself by pretending to look at my manga, but my mind was elsewhere. We were silent for a good half hour or so, while someone began a shower upstairs. Finally I decided to speak.

"You know," blurted out Suzie, "I think we should take a look around this place." 

"Bloody psychic!" I laughed and tossed a pillow at her. 

Tash looked up from her flute fingering. "Shouldn't we just wait until morning to do that? I mean I'm sure things can be explained without us breaking into everything all the time."

"Hey, we're guests here. We can do as we please." replied Suzie.

"Yeah, but..." Tash gave in. She couldn't stop Suzie right now, so the only thing she could do was come along and keep her out of as much trouble as possible. 

"Alright, let's go!" and Suzie opened the door before I could remind her of the extremely temperamental hairy man on the other side. 

"Oh don't worry about him." she linked, reading my mind, "He's gone to take a shower."

We walked down the hall towards the elevator and hopped back down through the hole we had originally come up through. Whether Tash would admit it or not, even was a little bit anxious about the contents of the mansion's stainless steel basement. So far we knew there was an infirmary and a jump jet in there, but there had been many more doors, and possibly hallways, to explore. More importantly, who were these X-men, and are they the type of people who would work with or against the private militia? Either way, their connection with it was undeniable.

"Suzie," I asked as we clacked down the metal hallway, "What was with that guy with the claws." 

She smiled as we walked, "You'll find out, as soon as we find the filing room. He he he." 

Oh Death, there was nothing she loved more than a little espionage, especially if it was computer espionage. Any victim of her hacking skills would spend months trying to un-do the living computer virus that was Suzie. Once again I ask, WHAT WERE THOSE MILITARY GOONS THINKING?!

"I'm sensing a large energy source," Suzie suddenly announced, "and it's coming from.... here."

I peered up at the large, double steel doors imprinted with a giant X. The side one the side proclaimed it to be the "DANGER ROOM!" For some reason, I found myself hoping that was a mis-print.

"Sounds like my kind of place!" Smirked Suzie as she activated the electric lock. The doors opened with a sudden "swoosh" and the three of us found ourselves staring into the abyss of a big black cave. 

"Impressive," I said as Tash found the light switch. The room appeared. It was pure white, with many square panels, and a door and a window on the far side.

"Humph, doesn't look so dangerous." I sniffed as Suzie opened the door and Tash followed her up the flight of stairs behind it. I let my eyes wander around the room, wishing only that I had some paint. "But it's SO WHITE!!!" I complained. 

"Yes Chris, they built this room just to torture you." Suzie linked. 

Tash joked, "Maybe that room is dangerous. There's no telling what Chris would be doing right now if she had a bucket of paint on her."

"Well," I looked around the room. "I'd put something geometric on that wall, maybe a giant dance mural on that wall, a landscape on that one..."

"Awe geeze Tash, why'd you have to get her started?" Suzie moaned, "We'll be here forever now."

Tash looked at the floor. "I'm sowwy." She said, of course they were both smiling at the time...

"Hey guys, what do you think of a giant Emily Carr on the ceiling?" I asked. All I heard in response was a giant "thwud" from above. "What?" I asked.

Suzie got back to her feet and turned to Tash. "Anyway, let's get down to business. What does this control panel do?" Tash looked at it a moment, considering. 

"There's a key hole here." She said at length, "If only we had the key..."

Something nearby began to power up. It must have been a very large something, because the walls and even the floor began humming with energy.

"Who needs a key?" Smirked Suzie as Tash searched the room uncertainly. After a moment in which nothing screeched, clanked, banged or blew up, she sighed with relief.

"Good, its safe." she said, as if for a second she didn't trust Suzie's ability. Suzie looked at her with a hurt expression. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked. Tash glared at her. 

Suzie, "Hey, ay, that wasn't my fault, and it only happened once..."

"Uh guys?" Suzie stopped her excusing and looked down through the window at me. The room was beginning to change. 

It started at the centre of the ceiling and worked downward. The panels on the walls began quickly sliding back, revealing a thousand little chambers behind, each equipped with a gun, movable arm, or sharp pointy object of some kind... 

Tash, "Chris! RUN!"

I made a dash for the door, but was too slow as I found the floor in front of me give way to a pit filled with spikes. I swore and ran back towards the centre of the room.

Tash, "Suzie! Stop it!"

Suzie, "I'm trying!"

I stopped on the centre tile of the room and tried to think of a plan as the floor around me slid away. Unfortunately my brain was on vacation and the only thing that paraded through my head was a list of swear words and several thoughts of where I'd like to be buried. I nice spot, with trees and grass and...

Tash, "Chris!"

...a nice breeze drifting by, and....

Suzie, "Chris?"

Chris, "The tombstone should be marble I think, nice white..."

Suzie, "Uh, Chris..."

I stopped and looked up. "Whu?" 

Tash, "...You're not dead you know..."

In fact I wasn't even injured. I stood on the only part of the floor that hadn't slipped away.

"Oh. Hmmmm." I bent down and tapped the floor. It was solid, not hollow like the rest of the room. I had been safe all along. 

Chris, "Ha ... haha... hahahahaHA!" 

Tash and Suzie observed me from the control room above as if I'd lost it, and I probably had lost it, as I danced around on my small white square of security"

Chris, "HA. TAKE THAT! Stupid Danger room! Can't hurt me! I am INVINCIBLE! Nyahahahaha!"

Tash, "Uh Chris?"

Chris, "Oh, I'm sorry Mr.Danger-room...NOT! Ha! Can't touch this. Mnnnn! Oh Doyle Rules!"

I stuck my tongue out at it. Suddenly the computer came to life in the control room.

Computer, "Pass word confirmed, starting program 3765, beginning in 5...4...."

Tash, "Oh no! Chris get out of there!!

Chris (singing), "I am, I am superman...

Suzie, "CHRIS!!!"

"Huh?" I came back to my senses.

Tash, "RUN!" 

"Wha?" I was confused. 

Computer, "Beginning program."

...Too late... I jumped as an electronic arm behind me suddenly came to life and grabbed at me. The panels on the floor began sliding in and out in random order, and various mechanisms came out of them to shoot, grab, squash or slice me in half. I jumped, dodged and fell in complete random panic, the string of swearwords and possible burial sites returning once again to my brain.

In the control room Tash yelled out, "Suzie, do something!" 

Suzie was too busy searching the controls to listen. "What do I do?"

Tash, "There, the emergency switch. Hit it!"

Suzie, "Huh?" She looked around the panel, confused. 

Tash, "HIT THE SWITCH!" Tash pointed at the big red button labelled "EMERGENCY" 

Suzie, "Oh, right!"

Back in the "Danger Room" I jumped/fell backwards to avoid another arm. With no hope of recovering my footing, I braced myself for the end. I hit the floor....

.... After several minutes of nothing happening, I opened my eyes to stare at a completely white room, covered with lots of panels. I had never been so happy to see a blank wall in my life.

"Chris!" Tash yelled as she burst out of the control room door and ran towards me. Suzie was right behind her. "You okay?" she asked, as she got closer. I had to look myself over once before I could nod. Shakily, I got back to my feet. 

"Wh...what was that?" I asked, not quite sure I was looking at the same room. It was Suzie who came up with the first explanation.

"It seems to be a type of training room, for fighting and stuff. I guess that's why they call it a Danger Room." She said, calmly looking around. My response was censored. 

"No S*¥ð!!"

After a minute of pensive silence, Suzie spoke up. "Can I go next?" Tash glared at her, as I stared at her in disbelief. 

"Awwe come on guys, you know how much I like danger!" She wined.

I looked at Tash. She nodded. We walked up to Suzie and, linking each of her elbows in one of ours, we dragged her out of the room. 

Suzie, "Hey! Wait! Come on guys! I just want to have a little....leggo! Hey!..."

"No Suzie, you've almost gotten yourself killed once today, no more peril for you." Tash said as we dumped her in the hall outside of the danger room. I shut the door behind us. 

"Awe, you're no fun." she said, and sat on the floor, sulking. Tash and I began scouting the area.

"I think that's it Tash, what about you?" I said, "There's the elevator, that's the infirmary, this is the...."I pointed at the danger room and Suzie "Humpfed" again. Then I saw another door. "Hey, what's that one?" 

"The jet hanger," Tash prompted.

"Oh. Yeah, that seems to be...hey, wait a minute..." I peered down the hall that seemed to be a dead end. It might have been a trick of the light but I was pretty sure... "There's another hallway down there." I said. Tash followed my gaze and Suzie looked up from her sulking. I walked down to the end... "Yeah guys down here...Whoa." I turned the corner and found myself facing the biggest, roundest, metalest door I had ever seen. The "X" Stamped in it alone must have been at least a foot thick. I stared.

"What do you suppose that is?" I asked. 

Tash too looked at it totally confused. Then, "It looks like a...."

Suzie, "a?"

Tash, "Ahh, never mind. Let's go." She spun around and began walking back to the elevator. 

"Hold it!" Suzie yelled. Tash froze. 

"I can read your mind," she said, "and you're right, I think it does look like a vault." A look of pure evil mirth spread across her face. Tash glared at her.

"Suzie, no!" she said in almost a growl, "Putting my personal feelings aside, robbing a well trained, really large, group of super mutants is...its INSANE!" 

Suzie, "I'm not going to steal anything, I just want to take a loo..."

"NO." Tash stopped her. "We are going to go back upstairs, back to our room, and wait until morning for them to give us an explanation. I'm sick and tired of running around breaking into everything! Now, if you're not going to come, I'm going to walk up stairs and set off the security alarm, and you can fight them all by yourself." 

Her voice sent shivers down my spine, and her glare at Suzie was so threatening it put shivers on my shivers. Not for the first time, and certainly not the last, I stood amazed at Tash. Standing only 5'4", she was challenging a being that very few full-grown men would have dared to take on. And yet, in a heartbeat, I knew Tash would win. Suzie, for all her power, knew she was just another terrible nightmare come true without the guidance and goodness of Tash. She knew Tash made her someone better, and so, whenever Tash drew her line, Suzie obeyed. 

"Alright," Suzie said at last, "I promise I won't take anything, I won't even get any closer to it. But if there are files in there, we should at least let Chris go in to take a look."

Tash considered this, and after a moment, gave a nod of approval. I sighed. 

"Great, just volunteer me to be the guinea pig." I cried in mock exasperation, trying to clear the thick air. 

Tash laughed, "Oh don't start complaining, you're on a roll here." 

"Thanks, " I rolled my eyes, smiling as well. "Ok, bring it!" 

Suzie closed her eyes and began searching for the mechanism to open the door. There was a click, and a slight groan as the heavy steal doors parted diagonally. I looked out into the dimly illuminated room and stared.

"Well, Chris, is there any money?" Suzie asked. Tash whacked her in the side. 

"It...it doesn't look like a vault." I said, still not quite sure what I was looking at. "It's...it's...oh just come here." I said. Tash and Suzie both stepped through the door. 

" It's...a round room." Suzie observed. 

"Yeah," I said as wee stood on the platform, "but what's it for?"

"I have no clue," said Suzie, "but one thing's for sure, its no vault. (There's no money.)

She looked at the ground disappointed. 

Tash, "Suzie!!"

"Oh predictable death." I said, and continued to gaze around the room. Suddenly I spotted something. "What's that?" Suzie walked out to the end of the platform to look at it.

"It's a helmet." she said at length, bending down to get a closer look at it. 

"Oh cool," I remarked, "But why's it so low?" 

It was Tash who came up with the answer. "Must be for the professor," she said, "He's in a wheelchair after all." 

"I knew that." Suzie said.

"Which means it must be for psychics," I reasoned.

"I knew that too," Suzie insisted, "Now stand back, I'm going to give this thing a test drive." 

"Suzie," Tash yelled.

"That could be dangerous!" I chimed in. 

"I know, " She replied calmly, "That's why I said stand back." 

"That's not what we meant!" Tash growled at her angrily. Suzie wasn't listening.

"Don't worry." She said, "If that crippled geek can handle it, it should be no problem for me." and before we could stop her, she plopped the helmet on her head. There was a moment's pause. 

"Well?" I asked.

"...Nothing..." she replied at length, "The damn thing must be brok...." 

She never got to finish as a sudden wave of pain swept through her head, causing her to grab her head and scream in agony. I know it was agony, because in her panic, Suzie reached out to us through the link, and we all felt it. My mind reeled as I felt it being pulled from my head. Bits of logical and illogical information were jammed into my cranium, like candy into a piñata, and someone was already beating it with a stick. I saw mutants, good, and bad, happy and in pain, always moving further and further away from where we were. 

Jean, "NO!!"

In a blur I saw Scott rush past me and pull the helmet off of Suzie. The relief was instantaneous, unfortunately, the floors in the stainless steel basement are hard. The world was fuzzy for a few moments. I heard people talking. 

Suzie, "My...head..."

Logan, "Whaddaya think yur doing here! I knew it, they're spies. I oughta...

" 'Ang on dere Wolvie," It was Gambit, I was starting to come around, "You never 'it someone when dey down, let alone a lady."

"Besides," Scott said, "the shock of Cerebro has probably wiped all the fight out of them." He bent down to look at Suzie, "You okay?"

"Ohhhhh..." Suzie dragged herself to a sitting position, "Just peachy. What the hell was that?!"

"Cerebro's a highly advanced searching mechanism, a type of psychic telescope, if you will." Beast's technical mumbo jumbo was making my head hurt. 

"And let me guess," I said, testing to see if my mouth still worked, "We just stared at the F*¤©ing sun right? ...oh..." Motion was painful, but I managed to pull myself to my butt.

"Cerebro can be dangerous when used by someone who doesn't have the power to control it. The mind can wander so far it has no hope of coming back," Jean said gently to us all. Then turning to Suzie she added, "You must be very powerful to have been able to with stand it's pull."

"Just...don't talk to me red." Suzie still held a grudge against Jean for messing up her ultimate attack earlier. Jean didn't seem discouraged. 

"Either way," she said, " You must be very tired now after being up all night. We'll talk in the morning after you've had some sleep. Good night."

"What!!" Jean was ignoring her attitude. This pissed Suzie off and in spite of the pain, her pride dragger her up to her feet. 

"I've never been more awake in my life!" She yelled as the X-men began filing out of the room. "You wanna go? Let's go! Come on...."

Tash and I looked at each other, and simultaneously whacked her over the head. "Shut up Suzie." 

Chris, "...Ow, my head..."


End file.
